eat_raw: if you can figure out a way to have a 100 mile course marked in spray paint on the roads and on maps and cue sheets, with 5+ rest stops with good food and marshals and SAG personnel to help you fix anything from flats to tacos (and get you to a subway station if they can't) and a very well-planned ride through dozens of NYC neighborhoods and parks that you've likely never been to for free you should tell us all how. Besides, most of the $$ goes to Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group for biking and public transport that does a lot of good stuff for the city. The marshals and food people are mostly volunteers. This is the cheapest organized century ride in the area from what I can see.

Seriously, this ride might not be for everyone, but if you love NYC and feel like you haven't seen it all you should check it out. There are thousands of people riding, but it isn't like the 5boro ride at all -- no mob scenes, no waiting forever to get started and the roads are not crowded. I had a blast last year. It is hella fun to get out and see so many people riding.

Nice feature: if you sign up for the 100 mile ride you start before all the other groups and if you keep a good pace you'll never find yourself swarmed by wobbly once a year riders. The 100 mile group is pretty tight and there are a lot of good vibes (especially after the people that are racing through the course have dropped you.)

I did it fixed, (the bike that is). One of my daughters also rode fixed my other daghter rode a single speed and Kevin the bike builder rode a single speed. (Darn freewheelers). We rode the 65 mile route. Lots of fun.

Tony

I only drink on two occasions ... when I am alone and when I am with some one.

this is a fun ride... did it last year fixed, and counted (i think) 5 other track bikes - noumena, i imagine one was probably you.

i'm gonna ride again this year, and i encourage y'all to do the same. transportation alternatives is a great organization, and they do a lot to help cyclists in this city. plus, you get to see how many krispy kremes you can throw down your gullet before wanting to hurl 2 miles later... we should get a gang rolling for this, methinks.

any century i can ride without ever leaving the city sounds good to me...especially since the start/finish is only 15 min from my apartment...i will most likely be there...should we have a fixed gear group to all ride together?

They didn't hold us last time.... that was where the bbq was and it was a nice place. But agreed on getting the hell out of there... the whole drama of going across the triboro is very tedious.. lots of steps and stopping and people that are not strong enough to lift their bike (can you imagine not being able to lift your bike?!) that need help, etc. also the bike path on the triboro is like 4 inches wide.

My idea for this year is use a 75ish inch gear, start early, hydrate tons, don't stop for more than a couple of minutes along the way and finish asap. Hopefully this ride will be on a cooler day. It was pretty hot last year going across LI City at 2pm. Ugh.